Truthfully, we're up and breakfasted when they pull up to our site, but it still feels like an early morning invasion.
Down goes the tinted car windows. "You go soon?" they inquire.
There are a myriad of vacant spots available, however it is ours they seem to covet.
Keir informs them that we will indeed be leaving soon and they are welcome to the site. They pull up alongside our car, get out, and proceed to watch our every move while pacing around our campsite.
Seriously?!?!
Seriously.
Soon enough however, we are back on the park road and heading further into Sequoia National. The Generals Highway, as it is known, is under construction and, in the direction we are heading, cars are only allowed to pass on the hour. We boo it up to the waiting lineup laughing along to the Raw Dog comedy channel as we wait — Bill Hicks, Eddie Izzard, Richard Pryor, Eddie Griffin.... we love the satellite radio in Honky.
In front of us are a young German couple. Buoyed by the comedy station, we role play them discovering the famous tree is named General Sherman not General German as they thought. Har har, it was funny to us at least...
General Sherman is regarded as the largest tree in the world — not the tallest, not the oldest, but the tree with the most volume. It is indeed massive. There is an incredible air of calm stillness that the tree commands. The many folks walking around and taking photos are all whispering. Cliched perhaps, but you can't help but feel grounded and alert.
It reminds Keir and I how much we enjoy being out traveling. Focussing on where to set up camp for the night, what to eat and when, where to hike to — these are decisions that fill our day and fill our spirits. We are taking care of ourselves and focussing on our Now. It is much easier to stay in that moment when we are out exploring.
Up the road, we stop at the Lodgepole Village to grab some more ice for our mini cooler and some insect repellent for the morning and evening bugs that descend upon us. We hear that the Little Baldy hike provides a nice view of the surrounding mountains, canyons and valleys so we make the 5 mile round trip to the top (over 8,000 feet up we were!) to marvel at the view.
Driving in to General Sherman, we spied a mama and baby bear out foraging. So out comes the bear bell for the hike. It sounds like Santa's sleigh in the wilderness....
We opt to make the drive out to Cedar Grove in the Kings Canyon to camp for the night at Sheep Creek (4600') and are rewarded with more phenomenal views along the way, The canyon descent is simply breathtaking and with the 5:00 p.m. thunderstorm (is it a "thing", we wonder?) passing by to the east, we are rewarded with some excellent photo light.
Our campsite is again, fantastic. The rushing water nearby, tall Sequoias overhead and the Kings Canyon walls soaring up around us. The temperature promises to dip into the 40's overnight... a far cry from the Death Valley heat.
Tomorrow, (Thursday) we think we'll try a 9 mile hike to a nearby waterfall
and then hit the Redwood Forest hike and the General Grant trail on our return to Grants Grove camping area.
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